fbekholden.com

Now that I've got my grey motor nearly completed after a rebuild and lots of money spent, in true Hammondo fashion I'm thinking of switching to a red 186 or similar. I have a spare disk front which I could also put in and mate it up to the original 3 speed box.

The car will just be used for fun here and there and a back up ute for when my work car is being serviced etc.

Is it much better to have a red or is a grey still a good drivable motor? I would appreciate any insight from those who know both. I've had a 186 HT that was great to drive, but never actually driven a grey powered car.

Thanks Guys
Greg

This feels better, Greg.....

You haven't lived - never driven a grey.................

My opinion - keep the grey - you're not looking for crude grunt and I feel the engine is the most intrinsic aspect of the vehicle's "personality"........

My old bus hasn't been the same since I fitted a red........

The two greys I had were great - I miss both of them dearly.......

The red has a lot of "desirable" features - but it's a red - just ask Craig........I am one thousand per cent sure he wouldn't consider a red in his FB sedan for a nano-second.

Yes they have only four main bearings, tappets are always audible and trying to stop a grey leaking -almost impossible - if it ain't leaking, it's out of oil.....if you can't hear the tappets - they need adjusting - four mains - the engine is under-stressed to the max - it will probably out-live many of the modern high rev, multi-valve, injected rice-burners if treated with regular servicing and a little "respect"........

Now, down to the power issue - yes a standard one is a little slow off the mark - but - last year we ran a club tour around Tasmania - most were greys and some of those Hydra's............ got to tell you, Greg - I was very much impressed - mine has a 192 (179 HP bored out to the max), 4 speed aus and 3:08 diff - they weren't too far back even climbing Mt. Wellington in Hobart......... and that lovely "chant" - how I miss that........


For me, I'd be sticking with your grey - enjoy it, but don't expect a standard one to be the equivalent of a modern 2 litre.......

They were designed as the family car - affordable, reliable and easy to drive -all of which they are............... tell me of a modern manual car where you could go around a corner at 15 miles per hour (25 km/h) in top gear and ease your foot down on the throttle gently and the dear old thing would walk away without any complaint...........
The same vehicle would tow the family caravan, occupants and luggage on rough dirt roads to a far-away location on a 100 deg F (38 deg C) day with a great headwind and it would be other makes pulled up on the side of the road with their bonnets up and their occupants looking as distressed as the cooling systems..........................
and..............
Would still "cruise" at 70mph (115 km/h) on the open road............... all this down to a little 2250 four main bearing '40's power plant which would usually out-live the body........... priceless........ need any more.......

Just look at the pride on our people's faces when they stroll in under the power, economy and reliability of that wonderful little "workhorse"........

my feelings, Greg - you asked........

frats,
Rosco

if you've just spent money rebuilding the grey i'de use it, then there's no engineering and the costs involved with that
if it's only a second car and you don't mind changing gears and not doing lots of long distance driving stick with the gray

Rosco said it all for me

MMMM 7 bearings on a crank shaft that will never catch on
4 bearings was holdens way of reducing friction

If you over rev a grey you will kill it but funnily enough if you over rev any engine you will kill it

The choice is yours but youve already spent the money mite as well give it a go

and as it says below

Save yourself some money to spend elsewhere on the car and keep the grey. If its only a weekend cruiser you'll never be in a hurry anyway. I'd leave it especially as its near enough ready to go.

well thats four/nil to the grey, I think I'm relieved and need to stop second guessing myself all the time. I think I will stick to the grey and the four wheel drums and just add the booster. I'm too old to over rev engines, and it will still go better than the '24 dodge!

Thanks guys

i love my grey ,,and it does the same thing as most everyday traffic does,,with comfort and reliability ,, and i would drive mine to perth tomorow,,, if i could just get the wheels to stay on that far

and remember 2 of that 4 are die hard red fanatics

Greg,
I've had a grey "grey" a red "grey" a red "red" and now a grey "red"......

don't let the colour fool anyone - it's not the colour..................

I got so sick of people asking me if I had a grey in it, I painted it GMH engine grey - it's turned out being an embarrassment - most who look just don't see the difference - until I tell them.......................... this is where some of our onlookers are now.......... I'll always reveal it being a red, but I have an invisible "smile" going on inside whilst I watch people look it over........ to us, it's spotted almost straight away........ but.... it's a happy smile which emerges on those who take time to pick it................ and I join them. I didn't lie - I tell them it has "a grey motor" in it - not a "grey"....

I feel the grey will afford you more "hands on" enjoyment and appreciation - my red gets an oil change, breather flush and re-oil, filters change and check of the timing, float level and adjust the fan belt every 3,000 miles or 6 months.......basically it looks after most of itself....... now with optronic ignition and an additional oil filter system (Frantz).

I used to "service" my greys at 1,000 mile intervals or 3 months.....change the oil, flush the breather, clean and set the points and timing, adjust the tappets (purchased a SPQR tappet adjuster which adjusted the clearances "in house" rather than by feeler gauges), check the float level and give the heat riser flap mechanism in the exhaust manifold a bit of a "wiggle" to keep it working........

Guess if it were a vehicle I was running around in and clocking up big distances every month, the red might make life a little simpler - but in our application - less enjoyable........

Glad to hear you've made a decision - I feel you'll come to appreciate it when you join in as part of the "chant" .........

frats,
Rosco

ratbox wrote:and remember 2 of that 4 are die hard red fanatics

I wouldn't go that far....

dropped the Grey into the car today, so its decided.

Now I just need a head for it

Greg

Devilrod wrote:

ratbox wrote:and remember 2 of that 4 are die hard red fanatics

I wouldn't go that far....

Mabey he ment me


Just get some unleaded valve seats fitted

and flow it and a cam and multiple cabies and

'Spose I better 'fess up................ don't get me wrong - I love the red,
but for our models - I'd choose the grey if there was a great gaping hole in the engine bay and it was just as much work to put either in....................

I have yet to see the reverse mod - grey in where a red came from (EH onwards) ....... I bet it's been done, but I haven't seen it yet.........

As for modifying an FB/EK to fit a red - where a grey would just "slip" back in - no question.......

And you have........ good choice............ your conviction is intact..

frats,
Rosco